Bayterek Tower

Sunday is International Women's Day, which is observed by not having school on Monday.  It feels like I should be going somewhere, so my roommate and neighbors and I did a little touristy thing.  We went downtown to the Bayterk Tower.  This tower is a representation of a bird named Samruk, who laid its egg in a poplar tree.  (I'm not sure what the significance of this is.)  This tower is contains an observation deck 97 meters above the plaza.  I did not realize we could go inside the monument, so this was exciting to me.  

From the observation deck, the Presidential palace to the east and Han Shatyr to the west are visible.

Han Shatyr and the Arch in front of it

Some gal who just had to be in the photo

The Presidential palace with the triangular Peace and Reconciliation Building barely visible behind it.

The pictures look a little green because we are looking through the gold glass.  Also in the observation deck is President Nazarbayev's hand print.  You are supposed to place your hand in his hand print and make a wish.  There is a pedestal with world religions listed on plaques radiating out from a central globe.

  Looking west you can see where the city ends, there is really nothing but flatness.  The city was apparently set down in the middle of nowhere.

There are a lot of really large shopping malls here.  They have everything.  I blew up my hair dryer and also wanted to buy a pillow.  At the appliance store, buying the hair dryer went like this:  I show a customer service rep the hair dryer I want.  She takes a box off the shelf, hands me a credit card-like plastic card.  I go to the cashier and hand her the card.  I pay.  She gives me a receipt which I take to a booth where my hair dryer is.  He opens the box, plugs in the hair dryer, makes sure it works, writes the date I bought it on the warranty card, then gives me the hair dryer.  I'd hate to have to buy a riding lawn mower!

After our shopping experience, we stopped by the river.  It is still cold, but everyone says spring is coming and exclaim how warm it is.  It was -12C (10F) this morning when we set out.  The wind began blowing this afternoon, which made it seem much colder than it was.  It has not got up to freezing yet, so the river is frozen.  Someone was driving a snowmobile and a man was walking his dog on the river.

Not so pretty now, but I'm told this is a lovely walk in the spring.